Russian, US experts working on UN resolution on Syria ceasefire — diplomat

The document will call on all the countries to contribute to fulfilling the agreements that have been reached, Gatilov said

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UNITED NATIONS, February 25. /TASS/. Experts of Russia and the United States have started working on the UN Security Council draft resolution in support of the agreement on ceasefire in Syria due to be adopted by February 27, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told TASS on Wednesday.

"Now experts are working [on the resolution]," Gatilov said. "The work is underway and there are chances (for agreement)," he said, adding that the resolution needs to be drafted and adopted by Saturday Damascus time. "Because the ceasefire will begin on February 27," he said.

The document will call on all the countries to contribute to fulfilling the agreements that have been reached, Gatilov said, adding that it is early to speak about the content of the future document.

Speaking on reports that the US seeks to include humanitarian aspects in the resolution, he said the text will focus on issues within the framework of resolution 2254 adopted in December that approved the Vienna deal on settling the crisis in Syria.

Russia and the United States issued a joint statement on Monday saying that the ceasefire in Syria would take effect on February 27 at midnight Damascus time. The statement says that the cessation of hostilities is to be applied to all parties to the Syrian conflict but for Daesh [the Arabic acronym for Islamic State] and Jabhat an-Nusra [both are banned in Russia] "or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council." Airstrikes on them will be continued.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the reached agreement. He also said UN Special Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura is ready to support the implementation of the agreement.